This invention relates to animal traps and to a method for using the same.
Numerous types of mouse and rat traps are widely used to catch and remove these pests. The conventional mouse trap includes a bar which is spring mounted and which pivots from a cocked position to a sprung position in response to the trap being tripped by the animal. There are several disadvantages with this type of conventional trap.
The setting of these conventional traps is often hazardous to the hands and fingers, since it is necessary to place the hands and fingers in the path of the spring mounted bar during setting. Occasionally, the catch mechanism of these prior traps is unreliable and releases before the person setting the trap can remove his fingers or hands from the hazardous area in the path of the spring mounted bar. The catches are sometimes too sensitive to be usable and other times they are too insensitive to respond to the mouse or rat taking the bait. Furthermore, the catches used on these devices are not durable and sometimes the trap must be discarded after one use.
Another problem is encountered in the release of the trapped animal from the trap. This is a difficult and messy task inasmuch as it is necessary to grasp the bar which has killed the animal and move the bar to release the animal from the trap. This entails touching the bar in the vicinity of the animal and sometimes even requires touching the animal itself.
Another problem encountered with conventional rodent traps stems from the positioning of the bait on the trip member or tongue of the trap. Occasionally, a rodent can remove the bait from the top surface of the tongue without tripping the trap.
One type of trap which has overcome the difficulties referred to above is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,297,805 and 4,369,595. The trap shown in these two patents includes a jaw frame which is detachably held in a cocked position by a catch member. The catch member is held in retentive engagement with the jaw frame by a trip member. The trip member will release the catch member in response to engagement by the animal to be trapped. This causes the catch member to release the jaw frame and a spring causes the jaw frame to snap to a sprung position for killing the animal.
When the device shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,297,805 and 4,369,595 is reset, the jaw frame is forceably moved back to its cocked position, and during this movement the jaw frame engages the catch member. The catch member cams out of the path of the jaw frame to permit the jaw frame to pass by, and then the catch member returns to its original position so that it will engage and hold the jaw frame in its cocked position. This camming movement of the catch frame can under certain circumstances, be prevented if the trip member is in its set position. In such a situation, the trip frame holds the catch frame against movement in response to the setting of the jaw frame, and the jaw frame is not free to move to its cocked position.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,595 and 4,297,805, a reset member is used to move the trip frame out of retentive engagement with the catch frame during the setting of the trap. This prevents the catch frame from being held against movement and permits it to cam out of the way of the jaw frame during the resetting of the trap.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap and method for using same.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an animal trap which can be set without placing the hands and fingers in a position of jeopardy with respect to the spring mounted bar of the trap.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an animal trap which eliminates the need for a separate reset member during the resetting of the trap.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap wherein the jaw frame always holds the trip member free from engagement with the catch frame whenever the jaw frame is in its sprung position.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap which has a small spring for yieldably urging the trip member to its set position, the spring providing a weaker force than that exerted by the jaw frame so as to yield to the force exerted by the jaw frame whenever the jaw frame is in its sprung position.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap which utilizes a catch mechanism which automatically sets when the bar is moved to its cocked position.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap having a catch mechanism which is reliable in grasping and holding the bar in its cocked position without accidental release.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved animal trap having a catch mechanism which is constant in the amount of pressure required to trip the trap. The weight of the bait is not on the trip mechanism and therefore does not affect the pressure needed to trip it.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a mouse trap having a trip mechanism that is very sensitive to the animal's touch and which will spring the trap in response to a very light touch by the animal.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a trap which can be emptied without touching the dead animal.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a trap having an automatic reset mechanism which is engaged by the bar as the bar moves to its cocked position and which responds to this engagement to place the remaining parts of the trap in a position whereby they will receive and hold the bar in its cocked position.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a trap which permits placement of the bait on the trap base platform and which includes a trip member surrounding the bait so that the rodent cannot reach the bait without engaging the trip member and spring the trap.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a trap which is durable and which can be reused numerous times.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a device and method for using same which is simple and economical.